Molding clip



NOV. 25, 1952 O J o rrc 2,618,998

MOLDING CLIP Filed NOV. 5, 1949 2 SHEET$SHEET l Nov. 25, 1952 o. J. POUPITCH 2,618,998

MOLDING CLIP Filed Nov. 5, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 1/5 J3 J3; 20$ J55 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 25, 1952 Z 8 MOLDING Ci -1! ougljesa .,Julesro p Chica o lletass gm t i lllinoisflTool Works, Chicago, Ill. a corpora-s minl 'g ni is Application-November- 3, 1949; serial Not 125,328:

invention, relates; generally to, a fasten-1 ing.-- or mounting devices and-more particularly; to sheet metal blind fasteners ,havingea. deflectable: stud adapted tobepmoved into, engaging position with awork piece: by applyingr a; relatively slight rotative force, by means offlacom-y men-tool; such as a screwdriver Variousforms of blind fasteners and' mounting devices have been, provided 1 for securingiobv jects to; -work pieces andpanels by assembling operations performedy wholly on, one 1 side; of the Certain; of these prior;- de-v work piece or panel. vices areiof the. multi-part type which comprise one or; more parts fOrminga s cket which is first 1 attached to aworkpiece and; one or: more parts forming anobject securing member which is afterwards attached t the socket and interlockedtherewith. A second general typeof such devicesfcomprisesa snap fastener member which is snapped; intothe aperture,- inawork; piece and to which is -attached;anobject supportingor;see ring -member-which is secured: to a sec-,7 0nd; work piece by the snap fastener member.

The .-;multi-part;typeqf fastener A and tl'iesnap-v fastener type are unsatisfactory for applications; here po itive t kineo t e wo p ece-and e e uredm mb i r uired: he nee r or. close tolerances; and: the fitting for the sockets inthe- .-work pieces and the stud part :in the sockets make the; production of; these members so costly-that-these types of fasteners arecommerciallwunsatisfactoryparticularly for us in the mass: prod ction; ndustr es Certain types: of? steners equi p l at m of} relativelr heavy force or blows in; an; axial direction to see er them in position: and; are 1 generally-uh,-

atii twr those llplicat q s: w i h t supportingwork piece is madeof; relatively light or-thin gauge -material which will not withstand the;-forc e -or pressure; of the blow necessary to aili xthe stud-portion oithe fastener to the work,

pie e,

The present invention; is therefore concerned primarily with the provision of a simple, preferably one-piece fastener, mounting device, or clip which overcomes oravoids such defects anddisadvantages f the priprartdevices previously which stud; memberis adapted for engagement with a supporting workpiece by-the application of a relatively light rotative-force using-a common tool such'asa screw driver. I

' More particularlymhe present invention-com prises an articleisupmrt ns; por n o hic uisi integrally, attached ;a stud member adapted to be, inserted: through a work aperture and; then moved; into engagement with the material; sunrounding the, work aperture t and il 4O; enter into; lockinel en a e e wi h u po tin work; piece the e y; ms ti l to nterl ck 1. 5: article; supportin v p r on wit h W rk 4 i rc -l,

e ore i i a b e to he nven ocnliqe provide an improved one-piece blindfasteg i n device: av n i-l tud fl rt on nserteble hreu a wo k er ure-i om; ne iiiq. e eg adapted to ;.at c ed a wprke e y a t-l. plying o ate, sure q-l hestuq zw e s thestud laterally afterlinsertion into the work arma u e-t0; a e: nd p itive y te o k;with he. p osite. i e. of hQWQ K a er e.

Mor articularly it: is an object of the I invenr .7

tages i am' e r n a i t om he Ql QWi e ail d -d scri on he i-v pnside i l' i qn: it i h qcom n ine-dmw n s w i Ri ers" 17 r men ar n r e i r l' iew o n s a tener at ach dz'tc sup p b n w rk ece y astenin be or p. mbodyi the; featuresofthe present; invention;

i ur s-an. en ar e Pa tial missc iona view,ofthe assembly showninj'ignre 3; as seen nl ie-d eii n Q -ihe rr w -,-e ene a i ll; he eqi-i Figure 3 is a plan view of v the fasteneivmem bee-shown in, Figures 1 and 2 applied to a wrun wo k; ce, a e or he eta n uds-- have .b enl r e o h t ch ng position;

Figure i is-a,- view similar to Figur 3 showing" the retaining studs deflected into enga ing l posi: tion;

Figure, 5 is a; cross sectional-view of. theassembly shownin Figure 4 as seen in the direc: tion of thearrows along the line. 5.5 vthereof.;

Figure 6:is an enlarged perspective.viewofthei fastener member shown v in Figures. 1-5;

Figure 7-;is. a. plan view ofi 'the. one piecec fastener shown in Figure 9 substantially as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line l8|8 thereof;

Figure 11 is another cross sectional view of the fastener shown in Figure 9 substantially as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line l9--l9 thereof; and

' Figure 12 is a plan view of the blank from which the fastener in Figures 9-11 is formed.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that one embodiment of the fastening device contemplated by the present invention is generally designated by the numeral Ii! in Figures 1-6 inclusive. In Figure 1, one of the clips [3 is shown applied to a supporting work piece or panel l2, and a molding strip I4 having inturned flanges I 6 and I8 is shown applied to the fastener ill.

The fastener Ill includes a generally rectangularly shaped body portion on which is formed at each end thereof sections 22 and 24 which are disposed at substantially right angles with respect to the plane of body portion 23. Formed integral with and on the ends of sections 22 and 24 are the molding strip engaging members 26 and 28. As can be best seen in Figure 2 the molding strip engaging members 26 and 28 are oppositely disposed to each other and extend laterally outwardly from sections 22 and 24. The outermost ends 30 and 32 are bent sharply towards the body portion 20 and form an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the main portion of the engaging members 26 and 28. Molding strips l4 of the type illustrated are readily snapped into position on the molding strip engaging members 26 and 280i clip l0.

Formed on one of the edges of section 22 which is perpendicular to the plane of body member 20 is a laterally extending latching arm 34. Arm 34 is generally rectangular in shape and shorter than the side of body member 20 that lies between thesections 22 and 24. Arm 34 is joined to section 22 by a bendable connection so that the arm may be readily moved or shifted with respect to the rest of clip ID. A stud 36 is integrally attached to the edge of latching arm 34 which is adjacent the body member 20. Stud 35 has a locking portion or shoulder 38 formed on the side thereof adjacent the end of latching arm 34, which locking shoulder is formed in the stamping operation from a corner of the latching arm 34 and is bent downwardly out of the plane of body portion 29. The purpose of the locking shoulder 38 will be explained hereinafter.

A second latching arm 46 with an accompanying stud 42 and a locking shoulder 44 is formed on and bendably joined to the edge of section 24 which is positioned diagonally across the body 23 from the point at which latch arm 34 is connected to section 22. The construction of latching arm and its associated parts, the stud 42 and the shoulder 44, is identical with the construction of parts 34, 36 and 38 respectively.

Fastener I3 is applied to a supporting work piece such as panel [2 by first forming in work piece l2 an aperture 46 which is of a shape and sizeto receive the body portion 20 of fastener H). In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1-6, this aperture is generally rectangular in shape. The formed molding clip is then placed in position upon the work piece [2 by inserting the body portion 20 and associated parts into the aperture 46. As illustrated in Figure 2, the free ends of sections 36 and 32 limit the distance which body portion 23 will extend through aperture 46. It is essential that this portion of the fastener l8 extend through the aperture in the work piece far enough that the studs 36 and 42 are positioned on the opposite side of the work piece. Figure 3 shows a fastener l0 inserted into an aperture in a work piece l2 as described above. At this point in the assembly the blade 48 of a screw driver or similar tool is inserted between the latching arms 43 and 42. By rotating blade 48 in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 3,

the latching arms 34 and 43 will be urged out-' wardly away from each other and from the center of body portion 26. The application of the force necessary to deflect latching arms 34 and 46 is made possible by the action of the edges of sections 22 and 24 against the sides of the rectangular aperture 46. v 1

As the latching arms 34 and 40 are deflected outwardly away from each other, the studs 36 and 42 will be moved behind the work piece 12, that is, they will be moved into a position on the side of the work piece opposed to that from which the fastener 10 is applied. When the latching arms 34 and 40 are in the position shown in Figures 3 and 6, the stud portions 36 and 42 are resiliently urged toward the body portion 20.

' Upon movement of the latching arms 34 and 40' to the position shown in Figure 4, the locking shoulders 38 and 44 are resiliently snapped past the plane of body portion 20 whereby to engage the edges 53 and 52 of body portion 20 to lockingly engage therewith. This locking action of shoulders 38 and 44 prevents inadvertent retraction of fingers 30 and 42 and hence unauthorized loosening or removal of the fastener l0.

Molding clip I0 is made by first stamping a blank 54 such as the one illustrated in Figure 7 from a strip of sheet stock such as metal. This blank 54 is then shaped in a series of progressive dies to form molding clip Ill. The generally rectangularly shaped central portion 56 of blank 54 is formed into the central body portion 20 and the upstanding sections 22 and 24. The ends 58 and 60 are formed into the molding strip retaining members 26 and 28 and the laterally extending projections 62 and 64 form the latching arms 34 and 40 and associated parts. The molding clip illustrated in Figures l'7 is economical and relatively simple in manufacture.

Figure 8 shows a modification of the fastener illustrated in Figures 1-7. This modification generally designated by the numeral lfia comprises a central body portion 23a and latching arms 34a and 46a. and associated parts which are of the same construction as the corresponding components of fastener Ill. The only change in structure is a modification of the molding strip retaining member 28 of fastener l0 which, in the modification shown in Figure 8, is formed with an arcuate section 66 adapted to receive and hold a conduit 68 or similar object. Fastener 16a is e-gerspoaa applied to th-supporti-ngwork piece42a in the tiOQIiOQbfaSEQI E HL l k. pieces; I

ul mtthe work piece I 2a, M Othenmodificationsfln thegmembersgizs and 28 canibe made toraccom-a moda es therztynes.andshane ofzobjectsw ieh it may be desirable to a ttach to;-a;wcrk piece such as panel IZa.

Figures 9-12 show yet another form of the present invention which is similar in structure to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-7. This form of the invention is particularly adapted to receive a thread engaging member after the fastener is placed in position upon a work piece. The thread engagin member which is preferably in the form of a bolt secures a second work piece to the first work piece. Like numerals have been utilized to indicate parts having substantially the same construction. The fastener, generally designated by the numeral 10b, includes a rectangularly shaped body portion b on which are formed at each end thereof perpendicularly disposed sections 22b and 241). There are formed on the ends of sections 22b and 24b a pair of laterally extending work piece engaging members 2612 and 281) whose outer ends are reversely bent towards the body portion 201) as at 3% and 32b. The length of sections 2222-241) and b32b is generally relatively shorter than the length of the corresponding parts of the fasteners shown in Figures 1-7.

The fastener lllb is provided with a pair of diagonally disposed latching arms 34b and b that are fastened to the peripendicularly disposed sections 22b and 24b. Disposed on the laterally extending edges of arms 34b and 402) that are nearest the body portion 20b are a pair of stud members 361) and 42b. The studs 36b and 42?) are provided with locking portions 38b and 44b for the reasons set forth above with respect to the fastener of Figures 1-7.

The general arrangement of the parts and the operation thereof of the fastener shown in Figures 9-11 is substantially the same as that of the fastener shown in Figures 1-7. In the embodiment shown in Figures 9-12, the body portion 20b has a circular aperture H4 formed substantially in the center thereof. A slot H6 is formed on one side of aperture I I4 and connectin therewith. A helical impression is formed in the material surrounding the aperture I M by deforming the material to the left as seen in Figure 10 at I l 8 downwardly and the material to the right, as at I20 upwardly. As is well known in the art such ahelical impression is adapted to receive a threaded shank such as the shank I22 of the screw I24. The screw I24 in turn is capable of holdin other work pieces in assembled relationship to the work panel l2b.

There is illustrated in Figure 12 a blank from which the fastener is formed. By referring to Figure 7 it will be seen that the blank is substantially the same as that shown in Figure 7 with the addition of the apertures |I4-l l6 and the helical impression which is formed from the material surroundin these apertures. The fastener is formed by folding the blank as has been described above with respect to the fastener of Figures 1-7.

I As has been pointed out above the portions of the fastener IUb that are disposed substantially perpendicularly to the work panel lZb have in general a substantially smaller height than the corresponding parts of the fastener shown in Figr l l." This -embodimer-it' of=the=inventioni11us--..

means whiche'can be employedwi th fastenersso "From the for'egoingit=- :w-i11' b'e== apparenta-thats there has been provided a simple, preferably.one-.=.

piece fastene'r or clip which fulfi-lls all of the above objects and avoidsthedefects orinadequacies of prior devices. More particularly there has been provided ia; fastenerlor; molding-.devicewhich may be applied by a relatively slight rotative:force-:11S..:..

ing a common tool such as a screw driver. The fastener will be positively held in position upon the supporting work piece in such a manner that inadvertent or unauthorized withdrawal of the fastener will not be possible. There has been provided a fastener which may be formed by standard stamping or other forming operations from a sheet or strip such as sheet metal.

While for purposes of disclosure certain structural embodiments have been described herein, it will be understood that other modifications and changes are contemplated without departing from the s t and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A one piece sheet metal blind fastener comprising a U-shaped stud portion having opposed axially extending side walls interconnected by a transverse section at the entering end, head means at the opposite end of each side wall extending laterally outwardly therefrom and adapted to engage the surface of a complementary apertured work piece, and latching means extending from axially disposed margins of said side walls, said latching means including laterally shiftable arms hingedly connected with said axial margins of the side walls with the free extremities laterally shiftable with respect to the stud axis, and a finger carried by each of said arms extending substantially parallel to the plane of said transverse section, said arms and fingers normally positioned within predetermined peripheral confines to permit free insertion of the stud portion within a complementary work aperture with said fingers adjacently superimposing said transverse section, said arms defining an area therebetween for accommodating an arm shifting tool and adapted after insertion of the stud within a work aperture to be moved by such a tool transversely with respect to the stud axis so as to position said fingers beyond the peripheral confines of the stud in underlying disposition relative to the surface of a complementary work piece opposite to the surface engageable by said head means with a portion at least of said latching means superimposing said transverse section.

2. A one piece sheet metal blind fastener as set forth in claim 1, wherein the latching means includes an abutment operable as an incident to the outward shifting of said arms for interlocking with the transverse section of the stud portion to secure said arms in said outwardly shifted position.

3. A one piece sheet metal blind fastener as set forth in claim 1, wherein the head means includes oppositely disposed shoulders for accommodating opposed inturned flanges of a channeled work piece.

4. A one piece sheet metal blind fastener as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transverse section of the stud portion is apertured to provide a lockin section for engaging the periphery of an elongated fastener shank.

5. A one piece sheet metal blind fasteneras set forth in claim 1, wherein the side walls of the stud portion and the outer surfaces ofthe arms in transverse cross section present a periphery of polygonal shape when the fastener is finally mounted within a work piece whereby to secure the fastener and work piece against relative rotation.

' OUGLJESA J ULES POUPITCH.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Regan June 16, 1925 King Nov. 26, 1929 Wiley July 23, 1940 Tinnerman Nov. 24, 1942 Hall May 18, 1943 Poupitch June 27, 1950 

